Sharpening device for safety razor blades



April 19, 1938. c HOB-ART 2,114,347

SHARPENING DEVICE FOR SAFETY RAZOR BLADES Filed Jan. 2, 1934 Laws C. HOBART INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

' the invention Patented Apr. 19, 1938 UNlTED STATES PATENT FFEQE SHARPENING DEVICE FOR SAFETY RAZOR BLADES Application January 2,

2 Claims.

This invention relates to sharpening devices for safety razor blades. It is one of the objects of the invention to provide a device in which a razor blade can be inserted for sharpening purposes in a very simple manner and with the least effort. Another object is to embody the improvements forming the invention in a device of very simple design that can be manufactured most economically, has very few component parts, and is of such sturdy construction as to give long and satisfactory service. Still further objects will become apparent after a perusal of the following specification and a study of the accompanying drawing, in which a preferred embodiment of is, respectively, described and shown.

The invention is essentially an adaptation of the electric sharpener disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 664,513 filed April 5, 1933, to hand operation, the same principles of sharpening being employed.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of the sharpener;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view along the plane of line 2--2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view of the left hand end of the sharpener;

Fig. 4 is a view of the right hand end of the sharpener; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view along the plane of line 5-5 in Fig. 2.

Like characters of reference denote similar parts throughout the several views and the following specification.

Referring now to the drawing, II is a housing, substantially rectangular in shape, having secured to its open bottom a base I2 by means of screws l3.

I4 is a shaft extending lengthwise partially through the housing, being journaled therein at and it, its outwardly projecting end having securely fastened thereto a crank I! and a handle l8. About centrally within the housing H, pinned to the shaft I4 is a cam wheel l9, having a number of cam-like protuberances at its circumference, and a cylindrical extension 2| providing a suitable bearing for the wheel l9 upon the shaft M.

The top of the housing has two positioning or dowel pins 22 secured to it in line with the central axis of the housing. 23 is the bottom part of a clip held to the top of the housing l by the heads of the dowel pins 22 or other suitable means. Hingedly fastened to the bottom part 23 of the 1934, Serial No. 704,855

clip at 24 is a top part 25 having two holes 26 for clearing the dowel pins 22, and a catch at 21 to engage the bottom part 23.

28 is a safety razor blade adapted to be placed over the dowel pins 22 on top of the bottom part 23 of the clip to be held there by its top part 25.

29 is a flat metal spring fastened to the base l2 by means of rivets 30, the spring 29 having upturned ears 3| at each of its longitudinal corners. 32 are members, made preferably of steel, fastened at both sides of the cam wheel l9 by means of rivets 33 to the upturned ears 3|. 34 are upsets or cam followers in each of the members 32 adapted to contact with the cams 2!] of the wheel IS. The upper portions of members 32 project through longitudinal slots 35 on top of the housing I I and are bent over toward each other at 36 to form inclined sharpening surfaces 31 against which the cutting edges of the blade 28 rest when held by the clip top 25.

38 are flat projections at the outer edges of slots 35 of the same height as the top surfaces 31 of the members 32 serving as a protection for the same in handling and shipping. The housing II has on top a well 33 which is filled with an abrasive or rouge 40.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The top part 25 of the clip is raised around hinge 24 by disengaging the catch 21. The operator then moistens his finger, rubs it on the rouge in well 39 and then deposits some of the rouge by rubbing upon the sharpening surfaces 31. The blade 28 is then placed over the dowel pins 22 to rest on the bottom part 23 of the clip which is then closed by swinging top 25 back over the blade and having the catch 2? engage the bottom 23. This forces the cutting edges of the blade against the sharpening surfaces 37 at just the right tension.

The crank I! is then rotated by handle l8 causing rotation of the shaft [4 and the cam wheel iii. The upsets 34 in members 32 which contact with cams 20 on the wheel 19 follow the contours of the cams, held closely thereto by the spring action of ears 35 of spring 29. The sharpening surfaces 3'! being part of the members 32 will move to and from the center line of the blade causing a rubbing or sharpening action between surfaces 3'! and the cutting edges of the blade as long as the cam wheel I9 is rotated by the crank l 1'.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is susceptible to a number of changes. So, for instance, the crank may be placed crosswise of the housing, and other means may be em- 55 ployed to give the cam wheel a rotary motion, the principal object being that the means employed impart to the inclined sharpening surfaces a laterally reciprocating action in an arcuate path to cause a rubbing action between themselves and the cutting edges of a safety razor blade.

Various other changes in the forms, proportion and minor details of construction may therefore be resorted to without departing from the principles or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim as new, is:

1. In a sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing having two slots at its top, a pair of movable members projecting through the said slots, a spring support within the housing for the said members, the outer ends of the said members having inclined sharpening surfaces, means to hold a safety razor blade in contact with the said surfaces, a cam wheel, cam followers on the said members, and rotary means adapted by contact of the said wheel and followers to cause a reciprocating rubbing action between the edges of the said blade and the said surfaces.

2. In a sharpening device for safety razor blades, a housing, a pair of members, movable towards each other and having sharpening surfaces projecting outwardly of the housing, a clip securely fastened to the top of the housing and between the said sharpening surfaces adapted to hold one side of a safety razor blade in continuous contact with the said surfaces while sharpening, and hand operated means to cause a reciprocating rubbing action between the edges of the said blade at one side thereof and the said surfaces.

LOUIS C. HOBART. 

